Setting the Default File System

You can specify the file system or directory that the system uses as the default file system by using the cdfilesystem: privileged EXEC command. You can set the default file system to omit the filesystem: argument from related commands. For example, for all privileged EXEC commands that have the optional filesystem: argument, the system uses the file system specified by the cd command.

By default, the default file system is flash:.

You can display the current default file system as specified by the cd command by using the pwd privileged EXEC command.

Displaying Information About Files on a File System

You can view a list of the contents of a file system before manipulating its contents. For example, before copying a new configuration file to Flash memory, you might want to verify that the file system does not already contain a configuration file with the same name. Similarly, before copying a Flash configuration file to another location, you might want to verify its filename for use in another command.

To display information about files on a file system, use one of the privileged EXEC commands in Table 20-2:

Table 20-2 Commands for Displaying Information About Files

Command

Description

dir [/all] [filesystem:][filename]

Display a list of files on a file system.

show file systems

Display more information about each of the files on a file system.

show file informationfile-url

Display information about a specific file.

show file descriptors

Display a list of open file descriptors. File descriptors are the internal representations of open files. You can use this command to see if another user has a file open.

Changing Directories and Displaying the Working Directory

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to change directories and display the working directory.

Command

Purpose

Step 1

dir filesystem:

Display the directories on the specified file system.

For filesystem:, use flash: for the system board Flash device.

Step 2

cd new_configs

Change to the directory of interest.

The command example shows how to change to the directory named new_configs.

Step 3

pwd

Display the working directory.

Creating and Removing Directories

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to create and remove a directory:

Command

Purpose

Step 1

dir filesystem:

Display the directories on the specified file system.

For filesystem:, use flash: for the system board Flash device.

Step 2

mkdir old_configs

Create a new directory.

The command example shows how to create the directory named old_configs.

Directory names are case sensitive.

Directory names are limited to 45 characters between the slashes (/); the name cannot contain control characters, spaces, deletes, slashes, quotes, semicolons, or colons.

Step 3

dir filesystem:

Verify your entry.

To delete a directory with all its files and subdirectories, use the delete/force /recursive filesystem:/file-url privileged EXEC command.

Use the /recursive keyword to delete the named directory and all subdirectories and the files contained in it. Use the /force keyword to suppress the prompting that confirms a deletion of each file in the directory. You are prompted only once at the beginning of this deletion process. Use the /force and /recursive keywords for deleting old software images that were installed by using the archive download-sw command but are no longer needed.

For filesystem, use flash: for the system board Flash device. For file-url, enter the name of the directory to be deleted. All the files in the directory and the directory are removed.

Caution When files and directories are deleted, their contents cannot be recovered.

Copying Files

To copy a file from a source to a destination, use the copy [/erase] source-url destination-url privileged EXEC command. For the source and destination URLs, you can use running-config and startup-config keyword shortcuts. For example, the copy running-config startup-config command saves the currently running configuration file to the NVRAM section of Flash memory to be used as the configuration during system initialization.

Network file system URLs include ftp:, rcp:, and tftp: and have the following syntax:

To copy software images either by downloading a new version or uploading the existing one, use the archive download-sw or the archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command. For more information, see the "Working with Software Images" section.

Deleting Files

When you no longer need a file on a Flash memory device, you can permanently delete it. To delete a file or directory from a specified Flash device, use the delete [/force] [/recursive] [filesystem:]/file-url privileged EXEC command.

Caution When files are deleted, their contents cannot be recovered.

Use the /recursive keyword for deleting a directory and all subdirectories and the files contained in it. Use the /force keyword to suppress the prompting that confirms a deletion of each file in the directory. You are prompted only once at the beginning of this deletion process. Use the /force and /recursive keywords for deleting old software images that were installed by using the archive download-sw command but are no longer needed.

If you omit the filesystem: option, the access point uses the default device specified by the cd command. For file-url, you specify the path (directory) and the name of the file to be deleted.

This example shows how to delete the file myconfig from the default Flash memory device:

ap# delete myconfig

Creating, Displaying, and Extracting tar Files

You can create a tar file and write files into it, list the files in a tar file, and extract the files from a tar file as described in the next sections.

Creating a tar File

To create a tar file and write files into it, use this privileged EXEC command:

archive tar /create destination-url flash:/file-url

For destination-url, specify the destination URL alias for the local or network file system and the name of the tar file to create. These options are supported:

•For the local Flash file system, the syntax isflash:/file-url

•For the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), the syntax is ftp:[[//username[:password]@location]/directory]/tar-filename.tar

•For the Remote Copy Protocol (RCP), the syntax is rcp:[[//username@location]/directory]/tar-filename.tar

For flash:/file-url, specify the location on the local Flash file system from which the new tar file is created. You can also specify an optional list of files or directories within the source directory to write to the new tar file. If none are specified, all files and directories at this level are written to the newly created tar file.

This example shows how to create a tar file. This command writes the contents of the new-configs directory on the local Flash device to a file named saved.tar on the TFTP server at 172.20.10.30:

You can also limit the display of the files by specifying an optional list of files or directories after the tar file; then only these files are displayed. If none are specified, all files and directories are displayed.

This example shows how to display the contents of the c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA.tar file that is in Flash memory:

ap# archive tar /table flash:c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA.tar

info (219 bytes)

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/ (directory)

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/html/ (directory)

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/html/foo.html (0 bytes)

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA.bin (610856 bytes)

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/info (219 bytes)

info.ver (219 bytes)

This example shows how to display only the c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/html directory and its contents:

ap# archive tar /table flash:c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/html

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/html/ (directory)

c1200-k9w7-mx.122-8.JA/html/foo.html (0 bytes)

Extracting a tar File

To extract a tar file into a directory on the Flash file system, use this privileged EXEC command:

archive tar /xtract source-url flash:/file-url

For source-url, specify the source URL alias for the local or network file system. These options are supported:

•For the local Flash file system, the syntax isflash:

•For the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), the syntax is ftp:[[//username[:password]@location]/directory]/tar-filename.tar

•For the Remote Copy Protocol (RCP), the syntax is rcp:[[//username@location]/directory]/tar-filename.tar

For flash:/file-url, specify the location on the local Flash file system into which the tar file is extracted. You can also specify an optional list of files or directories within the tar file for extraction. If none are specified, all files and directories are extracted.

This example shows how to extract the contents of a tar file located on the TFTP server at 172.20.10.30. This command extracts just the new-configs directory into the root directory on the local Flash file system. The remaining files in the saved.tar file are ignored.

Displaying the Contents of a File

To display the contents of any readable file, including a file on a remote file system, use the more [/ascii| /binary | /ebcdic]file-url privileged EXEC command:

This example shows how to display the contents of a configuration file on a TFTP server:

ap# more tftp://serverA/hampton/savedconfig

!

! Saved configuration on server

!

version 11.3

service timestamps log datetime localtime

service linenumber

service udp-small-servers

service pt-vty-logging

!

<output truncated>

Working with Configuration Files

This section describes how to create, load, and maintain configuration files. Configuration files contain commands entered to customize the function of the Cisco IOS software. To better benefit from these instructions, your access point contains a minimal default running configuration for interacting with the system software.

You can copy (download) configuration files from a TFTP, FTP, or RCP server to the running configuration of the access point for various reasons:

•To restore a backed-up configuration file.

•To use the configuration file for another access point. For example, you might add another access point to your network and want it to have a configuration similar to the original access point. By copying the file to the new access point, you can change the relevant parts rather than recreating the whole file.

•To load the same configuration commands on all the access points in your network so that all the access points have similar configurations.

You can copy (upload) configuration files from the access point to a file server by using TFTP, FTP, or RCP. You might perform this task to back up a current configuration file to a server before changing its contents so that you can later restore the original configuration file from the server.

The protocol you use depends on which type of server you are using. The FTP and RCP transport mechanisms provide faster performance and more reliable delivery of data than TFTP. These improvements are possible because FTP and RCP are built on and use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack, which is connection oriented.

Guidelines for Creating and Using Configuration Files

Creating configuration files can aid in your access point configuration. Configuration files can contain some or all of the commands needed to configure one or more access points. For example, you might want to download the same configuration file to several access points that have the same hardware configuration.

Use these guidelines when creating a configuration file:

•If no passwords have been set on the access point, you must set them on each access point by entering the enable secretsecret-password global configuration command. Enter a blank line for this command. The password is saved in the configuration file as clear text.

•If passwords already exist, you cannot enter the enable secretsecret-password global configuration command in the file because the password verification will fail. If you enter a password in the configuration file, the access point mistakenly attempts to execute the passwords as commands as it executes the file.

•The copy {ftp: | rcp: | tftp:} system:running-config privileged EXEC command loads the configuration files on the access point as if you were entering the commands at the command line. The access point does not erase the existing running configuration before adding the commands. If a command in the copied configuration file replaces a command in the existing configuration file, the existing command is erased. For example, if the copied configuration file contains a different IP address in a particular command than the existing configuration, the IP address in the copied configuration is used. However, some commands in the existing configuration might not be replaced or negated. In this case, the resulting configuration file is a mixture of the existing configuration file and the copied configuration file, with the copied configuration file having precedence.

To restore a configuration file to an exact copy of a file stored on a server, copy the configuration file directly to the startup configuration (by using the copy {ftp: | rcp: | tftp:} nvram:startup-config privileged EXEC command), and reload the access point.

Configuration File Types and Location

Startup configuration files are used during system startup to configure the software. Running configuration files contain the current configuration of the software. The two configuration files can be different. For example, you might want to change the configuration for a short time period rather than permanently. In this case, you would change the running configuration but not save the configuration by using the copy running-config startup-config privileged EXEC command.

The running configuration is saved in DRAM; the startup configuration is stored in the NVRAM section of Flash memory.

Creating a Configuration File by Using a Text Editor

When creating a configuration file, you must list commands logically so that the system can respond appropriately. This is one method of creating a configuration file:

Step 1 Copy an existing configuration from an access point to a server.

Step 2 Open the configuration file in a text editor such as vi or emacs on UNIX or Notepad on a PC.

Step 3 Extract the portion of the configuration file with the desired commands, and save it in a new file.

Step 4 Copy the configuration file to the appropriate server location. For example, copy the file to the TFTP directory on the workstation (usually /tftpboot on a UNIX workstation).

Step 5 Make sure the permissions on the file are set to world-read.

Copying Configuration Files by Using TFTP

You can configure the access point by using configuration files you create, download from another access point, or download from a TFTP server. You can copy (upload) configuration files to a TFTP server for storage.

Preparing to Download or Upload a Configuration File by Using TFTP

Before you begin downloading or uploading a configuration file by using TFTP, perform these tasks:

•Ensure that the workstation acting as the TFTP server is properly configured. On a Sun workstation, make sure that the /etc/inetd.conf file contains this line:

tftp dgram udp wait root /usr/etc/in.tftpd in.tftpd -p -s /tftpboot

Make sure that the /etc/services file contains this line:

tftp 69/udp

Note You must restart the inetd daemon after modifying the /etc/inetd.conf and /etc/services files. To restart the daemon, either stop the inetd process and restart it, or enter a fastboot command (on the SunOS 4.x) or a rebootcommand(on Solaris 2.x or SunOS 5.x). For more information on the TFTP daemon, refer to the documentation for your workstation.

•Ensure that the access point has a route to the TFTP server. The access point and the TFTP server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic between subnets. Check connectivity to the TFTP server by using the ping command.

•Ensure that the configuration file to be downloaded is in the correct directory on the TFTP server (usually /tftpboot on a UNIX workstation).

•For download operations, ensure that the permissions on the file are set correctly. The permission on the file should be world-read.

•Before uploading the configuration file, you might need to create an empty file on the TFTP server. To create an empty file, enter the touchfilename command, where filename is the name of the file you will use when uploading it to the server.

•During upload operations, if you are overwriting an existing file (including an empty file, if you had to create one) on the server, ensure that the permissions on the file are set correctly. Permissions on the file should be world-write.

Downloading the Configuration File by Using TFTP

To configure the access point by using a configuration file downloaded from a TFTP server, follow these steps:

Step 1 Copy the configuration file to the appropriate TFTP directory on the workstation.

Step 3 Upload the access point configuration to the TFTP server. Specify the IP address or host name of the TFTP server and the destination filename.

Use one of these privileged EXEC commands:

•copy system:running-config tftp:[[[//location]/directory]/filename]

•copy nvram:startup-config tftp:[[[//location]/directory]/filename]

The file is uploaded to the TFTP server.

This example shows how to upload a configuration file from an access point to a TFTP server:

ap# copy system:running-config tftp://172.16.2.155/tokyo-confg

Write file tokyo-confg on host 172.16.2.155? [confirm] y

#

Writing tokyo-confg!!! [OK]

Copying Configuration Files by Using FTP

You can copy configuration files to or from an FTP server.

The FTP protocol requires a client to send a remote username and password on each FTP request to a server. When you copy a configuration file from the access point to a server by using FTP, the Cisco IOS software sends the first valid username in this list:

•The username specified in the copy command if a username is specified.

•The username set by the ipftp username username global configuration command if the command is configured.

•Anonymous.

The access point sends the first valid password in this list:

•The password specified in the copy command if a password is specified.

•The password set by the ip ftp passwordpassword global configuration command if the command is configured.

•The access point forms a password named username@apname.domain. The variable username is the username associated with the current session, apname is the configured host name, and domain is the domain of the access point.

The username and password must be associated with an account on the FTP server. If you are writing to the server, the FTP server must be properly configured to accept your FTP write request.

Use the ip ftp username and ip ftp password commands to specify a username and password for all copies. Include the username in the copy command if you want to specify only a username for that copy operation.

If the server has a directory structure, the configuration file is written to or copied from the directory associated with the username on the server. For example, if the configuration file resides in the home directory of a user on the server, specify that user's name as the remote username.

Preparing to Download or Upload a Configuration File by Using FTP

Before you begin downloading or uploading a configuration file by using FTP, perform these tasks:

•Ensure that the access point has a route to the FTP server. The access point and the FTP server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic between subnets. Check connectivity to the FTP server by using the ping command.

•If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you do not have a valid username, make sure that the current FTP username is the one that you want to use for the FTP download. You can enter the show users privileged EXEC command to view the valid username. If you do not want to use this username, create a new FTP username by using the ip ftp username username global configuration command during all copy operations. The new username is stored in NVRAM. If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you have a valid username, this username is used, and you do not need to set the FTP username. Include the username in the copy command if you want to specify a username for only that copy operation.

•When you upload a configuration file to the FTP server, it must be properly configured to accept the write request from the user on the access point.

For more information, refer to the documentation for your FTP server.

Downloading a Configuration File by Using FTP

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to download a configuration file by using FTP:

Using FTP, copy the configuration file from a network server to the running configuration or to the startup configuration file.

This example shows how to copy a configuration file named host1-confg from the netadmin1 directory on the remote server with an IP address of 172.16.101.101 and to load and run those commands on the access point:

%SYS-5-CONFIG: Configured from host1-config by ftp from 172.16.101.101

This example shows how to specify a remote username of netadmin1. The software copies the configuration file host2-confg from the netadmin1 directory on the remote server with an IP address of 172.16.101.101 to the access point startup configuration.

ap# configure terminal

ap(config)# ip ftp username netadmin1

ap(config)# ip ftp password mypass

ap(config)# end

ap# copy ftp: nvram:startup-config

Address of remote host [255.255.255.255]? 172.16.101.101

Name of configuration file[rtr2-confg]? host2-confg

Configure using host2-confg from 172.16.101.101?[confirm]

Connected to 172.16.101.101

Loading 1112 byte file host2-confg:![OK]

[OK]

ap#

%SYS-5-CONFIG_NV:Non-volatile store configured from host2-config by ftp from
172.16.101.101

Uploading a Configuration File by Using FTP

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to upload a configuration file by using FTP:

To use RCP to copy files, the server from or to which you will be copying files must support RCP. The RCP copy commands rely on the rsh server (or daemon) on the remote system. To copy files by using RCP, you do not need to create a server for file distribution as you do with TFTP. You only need to have access to a server that supports the remote shell (rsh). (Most UNIX systems support rsh.) Because you are copying a file from one place to another, you must have read permission on the source file and write permission on the destination file. If the destination file does not exist, RCP creates it for you.

The RCP requires a client to send a remote username with each RCP request to a server. When you copy a configuration file from the access point to a server, the Cisco IOS software sends the first valid username in this list:

•The username specified in the copy command if a username is specified.

•The username set by the ip rcmd remote-usernameusername global configuration command if the command is configured.

•The remote username associated with the current TTY (terminal) process. For example, if the user is connected to the router through Telnet and was authenticated through the username command, the access point software sends the Telnet username as the remote username.

•The access point host name.

For a successful RCP copy request, you must define an account on the network server for the remote username. If the server has a directory structure, the configuration file is written to or copied from the directory associated with the remote username on the server. For example, if the configuration file is in the home directory of a user on the server, specify that user's name as the remote username.

Preparing to Download or Upload a Configuration File by Using RCP

Before you begin downloading or uploading a configuration file by using RCP, perform these tasks:

•Ensure that the workstation acting as the RCP server supports the remote shell (rsh).

•Ensure that the access point has a route to the RCP server. The access point and the server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic between subnets. Check connectivity to the RCP server by using the ping command.

•If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you do not have a valid username, make sure that the current RCP username is the one that you want to use for the RCP download. You can enter the show users privileged EXEC command to view the valid username. If you do not want to use this username, create a new RCP username by using the ip rcmd remote-usernameusername global configuration command to be used during all copy operations. The new username is stored in NVRAM. If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you have a valid username, this username is used, and you do not need to set the RCP username. Include the username in the copy command if you want to specify a username for only that copy operation.

•When you upload a file to the RCP server, it must be properly configured to accept the RCP write request from the user on the access point. For UNIX systems, you must add an entry to the .rhosts file for the remote user on the RCP server. For example, suppose that the access point contains these configuration lines:

hostname ap1

ip rcmd remote-username User0

If the access point IP address translates to ap1.company.com, the .rhosts file for User0 on the RCP server should contain this line:

ap1.company.com ap1

For more information, refer to the documentation for your RCP server.

Downloading a Configuration File by Using RCP

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to download a configuration file by using RCP:

Using RCP, copy the configuration file from a network server to the running configuration or to the startup configuration file.

This example shows how to copy a configuration file named host1-confg from the netadmin1 directory on the remote server with an IP address of 172.16.101.101 and load and run those commands on the access point:

%SYS-5-CONFIG: Configured from host1-config by rcp from 172.16.101.101

This example shows how to specify a remote username of netadmin1. Then it copies the configuration file host2-confg from the netadmin1 directory on the remote server with an IP address of 172.16.101.101 to the startup configuration:

ap# configure terminal

ap(config)# ip rcmd remote-username netadmin1

ap(config)# end

ap# copy rcp: nvram:startup-config

Address of remote host [255.255.255.255]? 172.16.101.101

Name of configuration file[rtr2-confg]? host2-confg

Configure using host2-confg from 172.16.101.101?[confirm]

Connected to 172.16.101.101

Loading 1112 byte file host2-confg:![OK]

[OK]

ap#

%SYS-5-CONFIG_NV:Non-volatile store configured from host2-config by rcp from
172.16.101.101

Uploading a Configuration File by Using RCP

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to upload a configuration file by using RCP:

This example shows how to store a startup configuration file on a server:

ap# configure terminal

ap(config)# ip rcmd remote-username netadmin2

ap(config)# end

ap# copy nvram:startup-config rcp:

Remote host[]? 172.16.101.101

Name of configuration file to write [ap2-confg]?

Write file ap2-confg on host 172.16.101.101?[confirm]

![OK]

Clearing Configuration Information

This section describes how to clear configuration information.

Deleting a Stored Configuration File

Caution You cannot restore a file after it has been deleted.

To delete a saved configuration from Flash memory, use the delete flash:filename privileged EXEC command. Depending on the setting of the file prompt global configuration command, you might be prompted for confirmation before you delete a file. By default, the access point prompts for confirmation on destructive file operations. For more information about the file prompt command, refer to the Cisco IOS Command Reference for Release 12.1.

Working with Software Images

This section describes how to archive (download and upload) software image files, which contain the system software, Cisco IOS software, radio firmware, and the web management HTML files.

You download an access point image file from a TFTP, FTP, or RCP server to upgrade the access point software. You upload an access point image file to a TFTP, FTP, or RCP server for backup purposes. You can use this uploaded image for future downloads to the same access point or another of the same type.

The protocol you use depends on which type of server you are using. The FTP and RCP transport mechanisms provide faster performance and more reliable delivery of data than TFTP. These improvements are possible because FTP and RCP are built on and use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack, which is connection-oriented.

Note For a list of software images and supported upgrade paths, refer to the release notes for your access point.

Image Location on the Access Point

The Cisco IOS image is stored in a directory that shows the version number. A subdirectory contains the HTML files needed for web management. The image is stored on the system board Flash memory (flash:).

You can use the show version privileged EXEC command to see the software version that is currently running on your access point. In the display, check the line that begins with System image file is...It shows the directory name in Flash memory where the image is stored.

You can also use the dir filesystem: privileged EXEC command to see the directory names of other software images you might have stored in Flash memory.

tar File Format of Images on a Server or Cisco.com

Software images located on a server or downloaded from Cisco.com are provided in a tar file format, which contains these files:

•info file

The info file is always at the beginning of the tar file and contains information about the files within it.

•Cisco IOS image

•Web management files needed by the HTTP server on the access point

•radio firmware 5000.img file

•info.ver file

The info.ver file is always at the end of the tar file and contains the same information as the info file. Because it is the last file in the tar file, its existence means that all files in the image have been downloaded.

Note The tar file sometimes ends with an extension other than .tar.

Copying Image Files by Using TFTP

You can download an access point image from a TFTP server or upload the image from the access point to a TFTP server.

You download an access point image file from a server to upgrade the access point software. You can overwrite the current image with the new one.

You upload an access point image file to a server for backup purposes; this uploaded image can be used for future downloads to the same or another access point of the same type.

Preparing to Download or Upload an Image File by Using TFTP

Before you begin downloading or uploading an image file by using TFTP, perform these tasks:

•Ensure that the workstation acting as the TFTP server is properly configured. On a Sun workstation, make sure that the /etc/inetd.conf file contains this line:

tftp dgram udp wait root /usr/etc/in.tftpd in.tftpd -p -s /tftpboot

Make sure that the /etc/services file contains this line:

tftp 69/udp

Note You must restart the inetd daemon after modifying the /etc/inetd.conf and /etc/services files. To restart the daemon, either stop the inetd process and restart it, or enter a fastboot command (on the SunOS 4.x) or a rebootcommand(on Solaris 2.x or SunOS 5.x). For more information on the TFTP daemon, refer to the documentation for your workstation.

•Ensure that the access point has a route to the TFTP server. The access point and the TFTP server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic between subnets. Check connectivity to the TFTP server by using the ping command.

•Ensure that the image to be downloaded is in the correct directory on the TFTP server (usually /tftpboot on a UNIX workstation).

•For download operations, ensure that the permissions on the file are set correctly. The permission on the file should be world-read.

•Before uploading the image file, you might need to create an empty file on the TFTP server. To create an empty file, enter the touchfilename command, where filename is the name of the file you will use when uploading the image to the server.

•During upload operations, if you are overwriting an existing file (including an empty file, if you had to create one) on the server, ensure that the permissions on the file are set correctly. Permissions on the file should be world-write.

Downloading an Image File by Using TFTP

You can download a new image file and replace the current image or keep the current image.

Caution For the download and upload algorithms to operate properly, do
not rename image directories.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow Steps 1 through 3 to download a new image from a TFTP server and overwrite the existing image.

Download the image file from the TFTP server to the access point, and keep the current image.

•The /leave-old-sw option keeps the old software version after a download.

•The /reload option reloads the system after downloading the image unless the configuration has been changed and not saved.

•For //location, specify the IP address of the TFTP server.

•For /directory/image-name, specify the directory (optional) and the image to download. Directory and image names are case sensitive.

Note To avoid an unsuccessful download, use the archive download-sw /safe command, which downloads the image first and does not delete the current running version until the download succeeds.

The download algorithm verifies that the image is appropriate for the access point model and that enough DRAM is present, or it aborts the process and reports an error. If you specify the /overwrite option, the download algorithm removes the existing image on the Flash device whether or not it is the same as the new one, downloads the new image, and then reloads the software.

Note If the Flash device has sufficient space to hold two images and you want to overwrite one of these images with the same version, you must specify the /overwrite option.

If you specify the /leave-old-sw, the existing files are not removed. If there is not enough space to install the new image and keep the current running image, the download process stops, and an error message is displayed.

The algorithm installs the downloaded image on the system board Flash device (flash:). The image is placed into a new directory named with the software version string, and the system boot path variable is updated to point to the newly installed image.

If you kept the old image during the download process (you specified the /leave-old-sw keyword), you can remove it by entering the delete/force /recursive filesystem:/file-url privileged EXEC command. For filesystem, use flash: for the system board Flash device. For file-url, enter the directory name of the old image. All the files in the directory and the directory are removed.

Uploading an Image File by Using TFTP

You can upload an image from the access point to a TFTP server. You can later download this image to the access point or to another access point of the same type.

Caution For the download and upload algorithms to operate properly, do
not rename image directories.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to upload an image to a TFTP server:

•For /directory/image-name.tar, specify the directory (optional) and the name of the software image to be uploaded. Directory and image names are case sensitive. The image-name.tar is the name of the software image to be stored on the server.

The archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command builds an image file on the server by uploading these files in order: info, the Cisco IOS image, the HTML files, and info.ver. After these files are uploaded, the upload algorithm creates the tar file format.

Copying Image Files by Using FTP

You can download an access point image from an FTP server or upload the image from the access point to an FTP server.

You download an access point image file from a server to upgrade the access point software. You can overwrite the current image with the new one or keep the current image after a download.

You upload an access point image file to a server for backup purposes. You can use this uploaded image for future downloads to the access point or another access point of the same type.

Preparing to Download or Upload an Image File by Using FTP

You can copy images files to or from an FTP server.

The FTP protocol requires a client to send a remote username and password on each FTP request to a server. When you copy an image file from the access point to a server by using FTP, the Cisco IOS software sends the first valid username in this list:

•The username specified in the archive download-sw or archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command if a username is specified.

•The username set by the ipftp username username global configuration command if the command is configured.

•Anonymous.

The access point sends the first valid password in this list:

•The password specified in the archive download-sw or archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command if a password is specified.

•The password set by the ip ftp passwordpassword global configuration command if the command is configured.

•The access point forms a password named username@apname.domain. The variable username is the username associated with the current session, apname is the configured host name, and domain is the domain of the access point.

The username and password must be associated with an account on the FTP server. If you are writing to the server, the FTP server must be properly configured to accept the FTP write request from you.

Use the ip ftp username and ip ftp password commands to specify a username and password for all copies. Include the username in the archive download-sw or archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command if you want to specify a username only for that operation.

If the server has a directory structure, the image file is written to or copied from the directory associated with the username on the server. For example, if the image file resides in the home directory of a user on the server, specify that user's name as the remote username.

Before you begin downloading or uploading an image file by using FTP, perform these tasks:

•Ensure that the access point has a route to the FTP server. The access point and the FTP server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic between subnets. Verify connectivity to the FTP server by using the ping command.

•If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you do not have a valid username, make sure that the current FTP username is the one that you want to use for the FTP download. You can enter the show users privileged EXEC command to view the valid username. If you do not want to use this username, create a new FTP username by using the ip ftp username username global configuration command. This new name will be used during all archive operations. The new username is stored in NVRAM. If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you have a valid username, this username is used, and you do not need to set the FTP username. Include the username in the archive download-sw or archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command if you want to specify a username for that operation only.

•When you upload an image file to the FTP server, it must be properly configured to accept the write request from the user on the access point.

For more information, refer to the documentation for your FTP server.

Downloading an Image File by Using FTP

You can download a new image file and overwrite the current image or keep the current image.

Caution For the download and upload algorithms to operate properly, do
not rename image directories.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow Steps 1 through 7 to download a new image from an FTP server and overwrite the existing image. To keep the current image, skip Step 7.

•For directory/image-name.tar, specify the directory (optional) and the image to download. Directory and image names are case sensitive.

Note To avoid an unsuccessful download, use the archive download-sw /safe command, which downloads the image first and does not delete the current running version until the download succeeds.

The download algorithm verifies that the image is appropriate for the access point model and that enough DRAM is present, or it aborts the process and reports an error. If you specify the /overwrite option, the download algorithm removes the existing image on the Flash device, whether or not it is the same as the new one, downloads the new image, and then reloads the software.

Note If the Flash device has sufficient space to hold two images and you want to overwrite one of these images with the same version, you must specify the /overwrite option.

If you specify the /leave-old-sw, the existing files are not removed. If there is not enough space to install the new image and keep the running image, the download process stops, and an error message is displayed.

The algorithm installs the downloaded image onto the system board Flash device (flash:). The image is placed into a new directory named with the software version string, and the BOOT path-list is updated to point to the newly installed image. Use the privileged EXEC mode show boot command to display boot attributes, and use the global configuration boot command to change the boot attributes.

If you kept the old image during the download process (you specified the /leave-old-sw keyword), you can remove it by entering the delete/force /recursive filesystem:/file-url privileged EXEC command. For filesystem, use flash: for the system board Flash device. For file-url, enter the directory name of the old software image. All the files in the directory and the directory are removed.

Uploading an Image File by Using FTP

You can upload an image from the access point to an FTP server. You can later download this image to the same access point or to another access point of the same type.

Caution For the download and upload algorithms to operate properly, do
not rename image directories.

The upload feature is available only if the HTML pages associated with the Cluster Management Suite (CMS) have been installed with the existing image.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to upload an image to an FTP server:

•For /directory/image-name.tar, specify the directory (optional) and the name of the software image to be uploaded. Directory and image names are case sensitive. The image-name.tar is the name of the software image to be stored on the server.

The archive upload-sw command builds an image file on the server by uploading these files in order: info, the Cisco IOS image, the HTML files, and info.ver. After these files are uploaded, the upload algorithm creates the tar file format.

Copying Image Files by Using RCP

You can download an access point image from an RCP server or upload the image from the access point to an RCP server.

You download an access point image file from a server to upgrade the access point software. You can overwrite the current image with the new one or keep the current image after a download.

You upload an access point image file to a server for backup purposes. You can use this uploaded image for future downloads to the same access point or another of the same type.

To use RCP to copy files, the server from or to which you will be copying files must support RCP. The RCP copy commands rely on the rsh server (or daemon) on the remote system. To copy files by using RCP, you do not need to create a server for file distribution as you do with TFTP. You only need to have access to a server that supports the remote shell (rsh). (Most UNIX systems support rsh.) Because you are copying a file from one place to another, you must have read permission on the source file and write permission on the destination file. If the destination file does not exist, RCP creates it for you.

RCP requires a client to send a remote username on each RCP request to a server. When you copy an image from the access point to a server by using RCP, the Cisco IOS software sends the first valid username in this list:

•The username specified in the archive download-sw or archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command if a username is specified.

•The username set by the ip rcmd remote-usernameusername global configuration command if the command is entered.

•The remote username associated with the current TTY (terminal) process. For example, if the user is connected to the router through Telnet and was authenticated through the username command, the access point software sends the Telnet username as the remote username.

•The access point host name.

For the RCP copy request to execute successfully, an account must be defined on the network server for the remote username. If the server has a directory structure, the image file is written to or copied from the directory associated with the remote username on the server. For example, if the image file resides in the home directory of a user on the server, specify that user's name as the remote username.

Before you begin downloading or uploading an image file by using RCP, do these tasks:

•Ensure that the workstation acting as the RCP server supports the remote shell (rsh).

•Ensure that the access point has a route to the RCP server. The access point and the server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic between subnets. Check connectivity to the RCP server by using the ping command.

•If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you do not have a valid username, make sure that the current RCP username is the one that you want to use for the RCP download. You can enter the show users privileged EXEC command to view the valid username. If you do not want to use this username, create a new RCP username by using the ip rcmd remote-usernameusername global configuration command to be used during all archive operations. The new username is stored in NVRAM. If you are accessing the access point through a Telnet session and you have a valid username, this username is used, and there is no need to set the RCP username. Include the username in the archive download-sw or archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command if you want to specify a username only for that operation.

•When you upload an image to the RCP to the server, it must be properly configured to accept the RCP write request from the user on the access point. For UNIX systems, you must add an entry to the .rhosts file for the remote user on the RCP server. For example, suppose the access point contains these configuration lines:

hostname ap1

ip rcmd remote-username User0

If the access point IP address translates to ap1.company.com, the .rhosts file for User0 on the RCP server should contain this line:

ap1.company.com ap1

For more information, refer to the documentation for your RCP server.

Downloading an Image File by Using RCP

You can download a new image file and replace or keep the current image.

Caution For the download and upload algorithms to operate properly, do
not rename image directories.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow Steps 1 through 6 to download a new image from an RCP server and overwrite the existing image. To keep the current image, skip Step 6.

•For /directory]/image-name.tar, specify the directory (optional) and the image to download. Directory and image names are case sensitive.

Note To avoid an unsuccessful download, use the archive download-sw /safe command, which downloads the image first and does not delete the current running version until the download succeeds.

The download algorithm verifies that the image is appropriate for the access point model and that enough DRAM is present, or it aborts the process and reports an error. If you specify the /overwrite option, the download algorithm removes the existing image on the Flash device whether or not it is the same as the new one, downloads the new image, and then reloads the software.

Note If the Flash device has sufficient space to hold two images and you want to overwrite one of these images with the same version, you must specify the /overwrite option.

If you specify the /leave-old-sw, the existing files are not removed. If there is not enough room to install the new image an keep the running image, the download process stops, and an error message is displayed.

The algorithm installs the downloaded image onto the system board Flash device (flash:). The image is placed into a new directory named with the software version string, and the BOOT environment variable is updated to point to the newly installed image.

If you kept the old software during the download process (you specified the /leave-old-sw keyword), you can remove it by entering the delete/force /recursive filesystem:/file-url privileged EXEC command. Forfilesystem, use flash: for the system board Flash device. For file-url, enter the directory name of the old software image. All the files in the directory and the directory are removed.

Uploading an Image File by Using RCP

You can upload an image from the access point to an RCP server. You can later download this image to the same access point or to another access point of the same type.

Caution For the download and upload algorithms to operate properly, do
not rename image directories.

The upload feature is available only if the HTML pages associated with the Cluster Management Suite (CMS) have been installed with the existing image.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to upload an image to an RCP server:

•For /directory]/image-name.tar, specify the directory (optional) and the name of the software image to be uploaded. Directory and image names are case sensitive.

•The image-name.tar is the name of software image to be stored on the server.

The archive upload-sw privileged EXEC command builds an image file on the server by uploading these files in order: info, the Cisco IOS image, the HTML files, and info.ver. After these files are uploaded, the upload algorithm creates the tar file format.

Reloading the Image Using the Web Browser Interface

You can also use the Web browser interface to reload the access point image file. The Web broswer interface supports loading the image file using HTTP or TFTP interfaces.

Note Your access point configuration is not changed when using the browser to reload the image file.

Browser HTTP Interface

The HTTP interface allows you to browse to the access point image file on your PC and download the image to the access point. Follow the instructions below to use the HTTP interface:

Step 7 Enter the IP address for the TFTP server in the TFTP Server field.

Step 8 Enter the file name for the access point image file in the Upload New System Image Tar File field. If the file is located in a subdirectory of the TFTP server root directory, include the relative path of the TFTP server root directory with the filename. If the file is located in the TFTP root directory, enter only the filename.

Step 9 Click the Upgrade button.

For additional information click the Help icon on the Software Upgrade screen.